Fluent material operated toy with adjustable valve means



Jan. ,14, 1964 R. WENGER 3,

FLUENT MATERIAL OPERATED TOY WITH ADJUSTABLE VALVE MEANS Filed June 18, 1962 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A INVENTOR. FIG 3 RICHARD WENGER gmwnh. 52 7 E QR E R. WENGER Jan. 14, 1964 FLUENT MATERIAL OPERATED TOY WITH ADJUSTABLE VALVE MEANS 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed June 18, 1962 INVENTOR. 4 RICHARD WENGER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,117,394 FLUENT MATERIAL OPERATED TOY WITH ADJUSTABLE VALVE MEANS Richard Wenger, 212 N. Federal Highway, Dania, Fla. Filed June 18, 1962, Ser. No. 203,035 1 Claim. (Cl. 46-41) This invention relates to animated devices and particularly to those which are capable of being used as counter or window displays or as toys, or for various other purposes.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide an animated toy or display device which will be self-operative and will not require the use of electric current or other motive power for its operation, and which will operate smoothly and relatively noiselessly, for the amusement, interest and entertainment of viewers.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this character in which the gravitational descent of granular material, such as sand, is utilized to effect animation, and motion is imparted to various elements of the device without the use of other forces, such as electricity.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a hopper containing sand or other granular material, the supply of which from the hopper is normally shut off by a valve at the bottom or" the hopper; of a pivoted, balanced lever carrying a hod, which upon upward swing of the lever contacts the valve to open the same and cause a charge of the granular material to be delivered from the hopper into the hod. The charge of the granular material into the hod over-balances the lever and causes the downward swing of the hod-bearing end of the lever and results in the deposit of the granular material from the hod into a properly-positioned barrow. The barrow is so balanced that upon receiving of several charges of the granular material dumped into it from the hod, the barrow will pivot in a manner to thereby dump its contents into a collection receptacle located below it. A feature of the invention resides in the use of simulated workmen holding the lever and barrow and apparently engaged in operating the same as above described.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I have devised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly set forth in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a display device or toy constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the same as seen from the left of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referrin to the drawings, 1 generally indicates the supporting base or bottom part of the device or toy, the same being, in the form shown, preferably but not nec essarily, composed of a suitable plastic material. This portion of the device is in the form of a rectangular box containing a removable drawer 2, which is slidable in or out of the box-like base 1. The drawer 2 constitutes a collection chamber for sand or other granular material used in the operation of the device. A knob 3 is provided on one end of the drawer 2 by means of which it may be conveniently removed from inside of the base for emptying and replacement.

Extending vertically upward from the top of the base 1 is a plurality of posts 4, there being four in number "ice of these posts. The posts are attached at their upper ends to a hopper 5 which is provided in the bottom with a tapered chute 6 into which sand 7 or other suitable granular material descends by gravity. At the lower end of the chute 6 is provided an outlet tube 8, normally closed by a valve 9 in the form of a pivoted trap, and which valve 9 is so pivoted and balanced that it normally closes the outlet tube 8 and prevents the flow of sand or other granular material out of the hopper.

The valve 9 is provided with a downwardly-projecting lip 10 and also with an upwardly-extending wing 11, the wing 11 being capable of impingement against an inverted U-shaped springy stop member 12 attached to the wall of the chute 6 by means of a rivet 13 or other fastening element. The impingement of the wing 11 against the springy stop member 12 takes place when the valve 9 is swung to open position, the springy stop 12 acting to resiliently limit the extent of valve opening, as will be presently explained. The springy stop 12 is adjustable by means of a screw 14.

The base 1 is provided in its upper wall with a raised block 15 in which is mounted a forked fixed post 16 between the upper ends of which is a lever 18, pivoted at 17. Secured at one end of the lever 18 is a hod 19 so located that when the hod-bearing end of the lever 13 is in the elevated position shown in full lines in FIG. 4, one end of the hod impinges against the lip 10 of the valve 9 and swings the valve to open position. When the valve 9 is so opened, it will be obvious that a charge of the sand or other granular material will flow by gravity through the tube 8 to descend into the hod 19. The opposite end of the lever 18 is pivotally attached by articulated linkage 2t) representing the arm of a human figure, to the figure shown at 21, simulating a workman engaged in operating the swinging lever 18. The downward swing of the hod-bearing end of the lever 18 is indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 4, and when the lever is swung downwardly as therein indicated, its descent is limited by a resilient stop member 22 adjustably mounted on the posts 16, and whereby to increase or decrease the rate of swinging movement of the lever 18.

The normal position of the lever 18, by reason of its balance, is the elevated one shown in full lines in FIG. 4, and to set the device in operation, the lever 18 is urged slightly upward by a touch of the finger, to cause it to impinge against the lip 10 and open the valve 9. Sand or other granular material 7 will thereupon flow by gravity through the outlet tube 8 to the hod 19. As a charge of sand is deposited in the hod, the weight of the sand will over-balance the lever 18 and cause the hod-bearing end of the same to swing downwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4. At the lower end of its arc of swing, it will deposit its sand contents into a recess 23 of a pivoted barrow-shaped receptacle 24. The barrow 24 is pivoted at 25 in a U-shaped bracket 26 secured by rivets 27 or similar fasteners to the top wall of the base 1. The barrow 24 is so balanced that it normally assumes the position shown in full lines in FIG. 4. A springy stop 40, formed on the bracket 26, limits the pivotal movement of the barrow in one direction and a balanced weight 41 is adjustable by the screw 42 to secure the correct balance for the barrow and to vary the amount of sand necessary to overbalance and dump the barrel.

Extending rearwardly from the barrow 24 is a yokeshaped handle 28, pivotally connected to an articulated linkage 29 simulating the arms of a workman 30.

From the foregoing, the operation of the improved display device or toy will be readily understood. The device may be placed on any suitable fiat support, such as a counter, in a store window, on a table or the like. The

hopper is filled with sand 7 or other granular material and the same'will flow by gravity through the chute 6 and into the outlet tube 8 where its flow will be halted by the valve 9. To start the device in operation, the hodbearing end of the lever 18 is slightly raised to cause it to open the valve 9, whereupon the sand will flow into the hod 19. When the weight of the sand in the hod is sufficient to cause this end of the lever to descend by gravity, such descent of the hod will allow the valve 9 to close.

As the hod swings downwardly to a predetermined number of changes of sand, it will reach a position over the recess 23 in the barrow 24 and will deposit its sand contents into the recess in the barrow. The deposit of several changes of the sand into the barrow will cause the unbalance of the barrow, and the same will tilt on its pivot 25 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4, to dump its sand contents through an opening 31 'provided in the top wall of the base 1, to reach and be deposited into the drawer or collection chamber 2. While the barrow is engaged in dumping its load of sand into the drawer 2, the hod 19, having been freed of its load of sand, will swing upwardly to its normally-raised position and on such upward swing it will strike the lip and will open the valve 9, to again cause a charge of the sand to fall into the hod and resultantly cause the hod to swing downwardly with its load and deliver it into the barrow. As long as the hopper contains sand or other granular material, the device will continue in operation and when the hopper becomes depleted of its contents, the collected sand in the drawer 2 may be transferred into the hopper.

The simulated figures representing workmen, respectively delivering sand from the hopper to the barrow, and from the barrow into the excavation, lends realism to the device and inspires interest and amusement and the device thus attracts attention for advertising or display purposes. It also provides almost endless amusement to a child when used as a toy. Since it operates solely by gravitational force, no other motive power is required and it is also quite silent in operation.

Having thus described a single embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

In a display device or toy, a base housing having an opening in its top, a drawer disposed within the housing and means for withdrawing the drawer, the housing having a flat top, four posts extending upwardly from the base for supporting an overhead sand hopper and from which a gravitational flow of granular material is had, the hopper at its bottom being provided with a tubular outlet, a valve for closing the outlet, the valve being provided with a downwardly projecting lip and also with an upwardly extending wing portion, the wing portion adapted to engage an inverted U-shape spring member that is attached to the wall of the hopper, means for adjusting the tension of the spring whereby to limit the movement of the valve, the valve being normally closed, a swinging lever below the hopper, a hod carried at one end of the lever, the lever being balanced so that when the hopper is empty the hod-bearing end of the lever will be elevated and the hod will be positioned adjacent to the bottom outlet of the hopper, the lever being pivotally supported upon a post, adjustable means disposed upon the post and whereby to limit a downward movement of the lever, an end of the lever having articulated connection with a simulated operator, a pivoted dumping receptacle that is supported upon the top of the housing and arranged in the path of downward swing of the lever so that the hod deposits its contents into said receptacle during such downward swing, the receptacle being in the form of a barrow, the barrow being pivoted in a U -shape bracket to the top of the wall of the housing, the barrow being limited in its loading position by a spring stop, the barrow being provided with an adjustable weight whereby to secure the correct balance for the barrow and to vary the amount of material necessary to overbalance and dump the barrow, the barrow having a yoke-shaped handle that is pivotally connected to an articulated linkage and with the linkage being pivotally connected to the arms of a simulated workman, said adjustment of the movement of the valve serving to vary the quantity of granular material flowing from the hopper to the hod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,478,350 Okel Dec. 18, 1923 1,518,144 Huggins Dec. 9, 1924 1,935,543 Coughlin Nov. 14, 1933 2,325,689 Le Blanc Aug. 3, 1943 2,583,123 Rowley et al Jan. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 172,866 Great Britain Dec. 22, 1921 368,720 Germany Feb. 9, 192 3 

